Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of Robinhood, transformed investing for everyday people. He shares how hands-on research at Stanford helped launch the company. Now, he's tackling renewable energy with Aetherflux, aiming to create a solar grid in space. Baiju discusses balancing market and technical risks, emphasizing intrinsic motivation in entrepreneurship. He also draws unique parallels between vintage cars and entrepreneurial spirit, showcasing resilience and passion in both fields. It's a fascinating journey of innovation and ambition!
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Baiju's Family Background
Baiju Bhatt's father, an optometrist, pursued his passion for physics, immigrating to the US for graduate studies.
This instilled in Baiju a focus on education and a drive to find his own path.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Father's Influence
Baiju's father encouraged him to discover his own interests, leading Baiju to explore calculus with him one summer.
This experience sparked Baiju's appreciation for math and its interconnectedness.
question_answer ANECDOTE
From Physics to Finance
Baiju and Vlad, both physics students at Stanford, bonded over their shared backgrounds and late-night programming sessions.
Their early ventures in finance were inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement and a desire to make markets more inclusive.
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In 'The 4-Hour Workweek', Timothy Ferriss presents a step-by-step guide to 'lifestyle design', encouraging readers to question the traditional notion of retirement and instead create a lifestyle that prioritizes freedom, adventure, and personal growth. The book teaches how to outsource life tasks, automate income, and eliminate unnecessary work using principles like the 80/20 rule and Parkinson’s Law. Ferriss shares his personal journey from a corporate workaholic to a location-independent entrepreneur and provides practical tips and case studies to help readers achieve similar results. The book emphasizes the importance of focusing on high-value activities, taking 'mini-retirements', and living life to the fullest in the present rather than deferring enjoyment until retirement.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Richard Bach
Russell Munson
The book tells the story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a seagull who is different from the others in his flock. While most seagulls focus on eating and survival, Jonathan is passionate about flying and constantly challenges himself to improve his flight skills. His nonconformity leads to his banishment from the flock, but he continues to pursue his dreams, eventually finding other like-minded seagulls and learning valuable lessons about love, kindness, and transcendence. The story is an allegory about seeking a higher purpose in life and not compromising one's vision, even in the face of societal pressure[2][4][5].
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Richard Bach
Russell Munson
The book tells the story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a seagull who is different from the others in his flock. While most seagulls focus on eating and survival, Jonathan is passionate about flying and constantly challenges himself to improve his flight skills. His nonconformity leads to his banishment from the flock, but he continues to pursue his dreams, eventually finding other like-minded seagulls and learning valuable lessons about love, kindness, and transcendence. The story is an allegory about seeking a higher purpose in life and not compromising one's vision, even in the face of societal pressure[2][4][5].
As the co-founder of Robinhood, Baiju Bhatt didn't just help launch a company. He sparked a movement that fundamentally shifted the dynamics of investing, and created a new path for everyday people to participate in the markets. But can the man who changed the way people think about money do the same for energy? In this episode, Mike Maples, Jr. of Floodgate speaks with Bhatt about the origins of Robinhood and how hands-on research in the Stanford cafeteria helped the company find product-market fit, and how Bhatt’s new renewable energy company Aetherflux could make science fiction ideas a reality.
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